Compact LTCC Packaging and Printing Technologies for Sub-THz Modules

Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) is a ceramic multilayer material with properties that suit well as both as a substrate and packaging material. LTCCs multilayer capabilities, excellent electrical properties, extremely high reliability and full hermetic nature suit it to a wide range of RF applications. Several frequency bands of interest from 100 GHz up to 300 GHz could potentially benefit from the use of LTCC system in package devices. To test the ability of LTCC materials at these frequencies, several grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) on 35-60 mu m thick LTCC substrates were manufactured with the help of high-resolution Aerosol Jet printing technique and measured from 1-320 GHz (Ferro A6M-E) and 1-220 GHz, respectively (DuPont 9k7). For the first time, LTCC material are characterized as mm-wave circuit substrates at the frequency band of 220-320 GHz.